Happy Birthday, Thomas! (JeffMads Oneshot)
by CrowleysGlasses
Summary: A JeffMads Kids AU I wrote instead of sleeping! TW: Mentions of abuse! Enjoy!


**I'm supposed to be sleeping but I wrote this JeffMads onesshot instead! Enjoy!**

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KIDS AU

"Thomas, am I going to have to call your father again?" Mr Washington asked, crouching down to be at the same level as the five year old.

"No! Don't call Pops!" Thomas insisted, wild hair springing in all directions.

"Then apologise to Alexander." Thomas glanced at the other child standing, crying by his side. He kept rubbing his cheek where Thomas had slapped him.

"No." Thomas crossed his arms with a pouty lip, sticking his tongue out.

Mr Washington sighed. There had to be a reason Thomas kept acting up. He said things that no five year old should know, hit people in a way that resembled hatred. Thomas would say things like, "useless! You're a mistake!" And, "stupid! You're ugly and fat and no one will love you!"

He knew something was wrong. Something was up with Thomas. Or his home life.

"Thomas, go inside." Mr Washington ordered, pointing at the door.

"But there's still recess time left!" Thomas shot back sadly, staying in his place. Alexander was still crying. "Shut up!" He shouted at the shorter boy, forcing himself not to punch him.

"Thomas. Go inside." Mr Washington insisted, grabbing the puffy haired boys hand and taking him in.

"Let me go!" Thomas cried, hitting Washingtons arm in defiance.

"Thomas, sit down." He said, placing him on a seat. Thomas huffed, looking around the virtually empty classroom.

He spotted the boy names James in the corner reading The Gruffalo. Thomas walked over to him, sitting in the plastic chair by his side.

"Hi!" He smiled, leaning on his hands.

James didn't say anything but shifted away from Thomas. "I said hi!" Thomas tilted his head. "You don't say much. Do you?"

"I don't want to talk to you. You're the bad boy who hits people." James squeaked, burying his nose back into the children's book.

Thomas huffed, banging his head on the desk. He did this two more times before James spoke up. "Don't do that, you're hurting yourself."

The puffy haired boy felt himself heat up and looked down. "Can I see what you're reading?" He said quietly.

James chewed the inside of his cheek in though before shuffling his chair closer to Thomas, holding the book out.

"What does it say?" Thomas smiled.

"You have to read it yourself, Tommy." James said, getting ready to turn the page.

"But I don't want to!"

"Then I don't want to either." James figured it was easier to talk, then to argue. Nobody argued with Thomas. Except Hamilton and Washington. "Why are you inside?"

Thomas blushed again in embarrassment, looking off. He banged his head on the table once more, yelping quietly to himself. James pulled him off the desk. "I said stop that!"

Thomas crossed his arms, shaking out of the five year olds grip. "D-don't touch me!" He insisted, moving away.

"I'm sorry."

"I was sent inside for hitting Alex." Thomas mumbled, looking down and into the hair that fell in front of his face.

"Why?" James asked in curiosity. Detective was his favourite game!

"Promise not to tell anyone!" Thomas held out his pinky. "Pinky swear!"

James hooked their fingers together, nodding. "I promise."

"Well," Thomas started, moving to whisper in James' ear, "my Pops hits me. So it's okay to hit other people, right?" Thomas said at a normal voice. He wasn't very good at whispering yet.

"No!" An assertive voice said from the doorway.

"Ah!" Thomas jumped, ducking under the table in fright.

"Thomas?" James cocked his head, looking at the cowering boy under the desk.

Mr Washington came rushing in, crouching down to look under the table. "Is that why you hit people, Thomas? Because your daddy hurts you?"

Thomas nodded weakly, "he told me not to tell anyone!" He started crying. "He said he'd hurt me if I told tales!"

Mr Washington looked sadly at the confused dark skinned boy of James Madison. "James, would you mind stepping out?"

"Why?" James swung his legs, almost hitting Thomas which made him yelp.

"Because I want to talk with Thomas."

"I want to talk with James!" Thomas exclaimed, crawling out from under the table.

"Sorry, Thomas. But James can't be here." James stood silently at Mr Washingtons words, exiting the classroom with his book in hand. "Thomas, I want you to tell me exactly what your dad does to you."

Mr Washington took Thomas' small hand and led him to the carpet where they sat down. "Can I tell you something else first, Washy?" Thomas mumbled shyly.

"Of course, you can tell me anything." Washington tried to smile for the young ones sake.

"I think I like James." Thomas flushed pink, which went unnoticed by his teacher.

"Lots of people like James, Thomas. He's a very nice boy." Mr Washington spoke with delight that Thomas had made a friend he didn't hit.

"No." Thomas shook his head, curly hair falling in his face. "I like him like John likes Alex, or Laffy likes Herc. Or like you like Mrs Washington!" Thomas was slightly louder at the last part, grinning.

"You..." Washington thought for a moment. "Like I like... OH!"

Thomas jumped and Washington remembered how Thomas did that a lot. Jumped at loud or sudden noises.

"Aww, that's cute, Thomas." He pulled the small boy close. "Now, I really need you to tell me about your dad."

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Thomas told Mr Washington everything. How his dad would hit him and call him names. How this had been happening ever since his mommy when to heaven. How, because his daddy hit him, he thought it was normal, and that he could hurt other people. How what he said, what exactly what his Pops screamed at him.

It took months, but eventually Peter Jefferson was charged with child abuse, and sentenced to 20 years to life imprisonment. In those months, Thomas grew closer and closer with James, who he took to calling Jemmy. They would read together, play Detectives outside together, partner up in work. They became inseparable.

* * *

In the weeks following his father's imprisonment, Thomas was put into foster care. He despised the home, and had to use all his strength not to hurt people. There came a day, when a familiar face walked in, an unfamiliar one by his side.

"Mr Washington! Mr Washington!" Thomas yelled, running to greet his teacher. Two small boys appeared behind the tall teacher, they were talking and laughing. Which stopped when they spotted Thomas.

"Dad? Is zat Thomas?" Thomas reconsided him as Lafayette.

"Hi, Laffy!" He waved frantically. "I didn't know you stay with Mr Washy!"

"I do too..." Alexander murmured. "We were both fostered here." Alex looked Thomas up and down. "Why are you here? I thought you stayed with your daddy?"

Thomas looked at the ground. "My daddy isn't allowed to see me anymore."

"Why!?" Lafayette exclaimed, hugging Thomas. "I don't remember my parents, I only remember George and Martha!" Lafayette released the slightly taller five year old, pointing at Martha.

"Come on, dear. We're looking for a child who might stay with us. But, I think I know who already." Martha grinned, pulling Lafayette and Alexander away from Thomas, grinning at him.

"Bye, Thomas!" Lafayette yelled, and Alexander waved.

"Bye bye!"

"Who was that, Thomas?" Sally, his social worker asked, setting her hands on his shoulders.

Thomas darted away from her touch. "Mr Washington and Mrs Martha!"

"Are they back again?" She smiled.

"Yup!" Thomas skipped off to the stairs, "I'm going to read!" The Gruffalo had become his favourite book since he and James had read it together.

"Okay, be careful!" Sally called to him, smiling widely at the prospect of Thomas being fostered.

She raced after the Washington's. "Hello, Alexander. I haven't seen you in a while!" Sally smiled at the small boy, who turned around.

"Sally!" He grinned, shaking her hand.

"Still a little gentleman I see, I'm glad you're bringing him up well." Sally directed the last part of her sentence towards George and Martha Washington.

"Thank you." George smiled.

"What about moi!" Lafayette exclaimed, striking a pose with a giggle.

Martha stroked his bun softly, "calm down, Laffy."

"Well, what I wanted to ask was, are you thinking about fostering again?" Sally bounced on her toes, dangley earrings shaking.

"We are." Martha nodded, the small Lafayette holding her hand.

"Have you got any idea what child you'd like to foster?" She grinned.

The two Washington adults looked at each other. "We think so." George smiled.

"Great!"

* * *

Skip three months and Thomas has settled in. He woke up to Lafayette desperately shaking him into consciousness. "Yes?" He murmured.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PETIT DIABLE!" Marquis exclaimed, jumping off his bed. (Petit diable = little devil)

"ITS MY BIRTHDAY, MARIE!" Thomas remembed, leaping out of bed. "I'm six now!"

"Don't call me Marie!

Thomas sprinted down the stairs, Lafayette hot on his heels, still ranting about not calling him Marie.

"WASHY! WASHY!" Thomas yelled, running into the living room where George was.

"Yes, Thomas?" He smiled.

"It's my birthday!" He exclaimed happily.

"No, I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year!" George joked, gesturing to the pile of gifts beside the TV. "Knock yourself out, kid."

"ALEXANDER!" Martha yelled her 'son' down.

Thomas sat excitedly, awaiting the people to arrive for his small party.

There was a knock at the door and Lafayette sprinted to get it, bouncing on his toes. He opened the door speedily. "Hi!"

"Hi, Laffy!" Hercules Mulligan smiled, pushing his beanie away from his line of vision.

"Tommy! Dad! Herc is 'ere!" Lafayette shouted, leading the small five year old into the living room, his mother and father following behind with a laugh.

Lafayette held his 'boyfriends' hand, kissing his cheek with a giggle. "Happy birthday, Thomas!" Hercules handed over the small package he was holding to Thomas.

"Thank you!" He smiled, having learned a lot of better manners from the Washington's.

They sat down together, Alexander running to join them. They played with some of the toys Thomas had unwrapped. There was another knock at the door, and once again Lafayette shot up.

"John!" They heard him yell. All of a sudden John was sat with them, fiddling with a turtle rubber he took everywhere. He handed over his gift.

"Hope you like it." He smiled.

In the next fifteen minutes, the Schyluer Sisters, Aaron Burr and Maria Lewis had showed. Thomas felt a little sad that his best friend wasn't there yet.

The door went and Thomas scrabbled to it this time. He forced the door open. "Jemmy!" Thomas dragged the smaller boy into a tight hug. "I was scared you weren't coming!"

"I wouldn't miss this, Tommy!" He smiled, taking his hand and running into the living room. "Oh! This is for you!" He forced a present into Thomas' hands.

He shook it. It didn't make any noise. It was really thin too. "It's a book."

"Oh!" Thomas' mouth formed an 'O' shape as he lead James to the circle of his friends.

"Hi, Jemmy!" Alexander smiled.

"You're not allowed to call me that! Only Thomas can call me that!" James insisted, sinking to the floor.

"Okay then, James." Alexander went back to messing with Burr who was getting increasingly frustrated.

"Stop!" Burr swatted Alexander away, shoving him into Laurens. Laurens pushed Hercules as a result, who fell into Lafayette and the domino affect continued until it reached James who dodged.

Thomas looked away as the young ones started arguing about who pushed who. Tears threatened to spill over his cheeks, and his bottom lip quivered. He jumped in fear when John yelled.

"GIVE THAT BACK! THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!"

Thomas broke down into heavy sobs, tears cascading down his cheeks. James hugged him.

"What's the matter, Tommy?" He mumbled.

"Everyone's shouting on my birthday! I've never got to celebrate it before a-and-" He stopped there, wiping at his cheeks. "And now everyone's getting angry! And then people were shouting like Pops used to do!"

Lafayette looked guiltily at Hercules. "I'm sorry, mon petit diable."

Thomas sniffed. "It's okay. You can let me go now, James."

"Okay." James did so, and kissed Thomas' cheek.

Thomas looked in confusion at his friend. "Why'd you?"

"Happy birthday!"

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**Wrote this instead of sleeping lol**

**Words: 2,116**


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